A2J Week 2024 - Supporting the work: How New Lawyers Are Being Trained to Overcome A2J Barriers

A2J Week 2024 - Supporting the work: How New Lawyers Are Being Trained to Overcome A2J Barriers
The University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Law and the Manitoba Bar Association’s Young Lawyers and Internationally Trained Lawyers sections welcome the legal community to attend this panel discussion to learn about what legal supports are now becoming available for clients of diverse backgrounds including cultures, languages and faiths. The three host organizations address what they are doing to train diverse lawyers who can help these diverse clients.
Panelists:
Mercedes Ayala
Mercedes Ayala, Mitousis Lemieux Howard (Co-chair, MBA’s Young Lawyers’ Section) (Moderator)
Mercedes is a family lawyer at Mitousis Lemieux Howard Law Corporation and the Chair of the Young Lawyers Section of the Manitoba Bar Association. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Manitoba’s Robson Hall and was called to the bar in 2019. Mercedes immigrated to Canada at nine years old and has herself experienced the difficulties of navigating a new environment without knowing the language or culture. In addition to her background, through her volunteer experience and practice focused on family matters involving domestic violence issues, Mercedes has become passionate about access to justice and the barriers that individuals still face in accessing legal services.
Laurelle Harris, K.C., University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law
Laurelle A. Harris, K.C. (she/her) currently serves as the Director of the Internationally Trained Lawyer Program, Equity & Transformation at Robson Hall. She holds a B.A. (Women’s Studies, History) and has undertaken graduate studies in Women’s Studies and Black Studies at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Laurelle earned her law degree in 2001 at Robson Hall and is an experienced litigator with formal training in mediation, arbitration and conflict resolution.
Ms. Harris founded Equitable Solutions Consulting in 2020, leveraging her legal expertise and extensive experience engaging in anti-racism and equity work to work with organizations within and outside of the legal community. She has wide-ranging expertise in areas of equitable organizational assessment and design, policy development and implementation, workplace investigations, system reviews, leadership development, and anti-racism education. Laurelle has been called upon to act as a subject matter expert in anti-racism and equity, including with the Office of the Auditor General of Canada, and led the Review into Systemic Racism and Oppression at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Laurelle serves as a director with the Manitoba Law Foundation and sits on the Legal Aid Manitoba Advisory Committee. She also chairs the Manitoba Bar Association’s Equality Section and was awarded the MBA’s Equality Award in 2022.
A geeky introvert, Laurelle spends her spare time planning new travels, reading urban fantasy, and dreaming of the Oxford comma.
Kayleigh Lafontaine, University College of the North
Kayleigh Lafontaine (she/they) serves as the Pre-Law Coordinator at the University College of the North. A proud member of Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Kayleigh resides in The Pas on Treaty 5 Territory. Her professional journey began as a Correctional Officer, which later transitioned into advocacy work. As the former Executive Director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan, she championed the rights of women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals who faced the criminal justice system. Deeply passionate about social justice and human rights, Kayleigh is thrilled to lead the new Pre-Law program, aimed at benefiting Indigenous and Northern students.
Ayodeji Olunlade, Restall & Restall LLP (Co-chair, MBA’s Internationally Trained Lawyers Section)
Ayo is an internationally trained lawyer. An inactive partner at a co-founded law firm in Lagos, Nigeria, he requalified in Canada in 2020. Upon his requalification, he maintains a practice with Restall & Restall LLP, is currently an in-house counsel with Diligent Corporation and manages the Canada legal team where he advises on technology, transactions, cybersecurity, privacy and associated fields.
*This program offers 1.5 hours of CPD, all of which may be reported as EPPM (Ethics, Professionalism, Practice Management) hours